1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inexpensive compact disc holder which renders a compact disc less susceptible to theft at point of sale and which furthers proper placement in a display box.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Compact discs are typically packaged in a hinged storage box, commonly called a "jewel box", having dimensions very similar to the disc and in which the disc is stored after purchase. A booklet is conventionally included with each compact disc. The front cover of the booklet has the album cover graphics and the inside contains the liner notes. The booklet is held behind tabs inside the front cover of the jewel box such that the front cover of the booklet is visible through the storage box. A wrapper, commonly called a "J-card", with the program listing is also typically provided, visible through the rear cover of the jewel box. The wrapper is sandwiched between the rear cover and a disc holder which is snapped into the rear section of the jewel box. Usually the wrapper extends around the ends of the disc holder to form panels that are imprinted with the title of the album and the name of the artist such that this information can be read through the spine of the storage box.
Compact discs are expensive as compared to cassette tapes and, because of their size and value, are particularly prey to theft. Outer packaging has been developed to foil theft but none is entirely satisfactory. For example, one type of retail container is made of paperboard with graphics printed directly thereon. The jewel box and the booklet are inserted into the paperboard container which is then sealed. This kind of container is relatively expensive because of the custom graphics and is easily opened in a retail outlet. Due to its opaque construction, pilferage of a disc is not easy to discover.
Another commonly used retail container for compact discs is a blister pack which contains the jewel box and the booklet and is formed of a relatively sturdy transparent plastic. Such blister packs are difficult to open by the customer and do not display the title of the album and name of the artist for easy viewing from an edge of the package. Sometimes the customer puts the blister pack back into the display bin, right side up and face forward, and sometimes not.
The outer packaging adds no value to the customer or to the retail merchant other than to reduce theft. From the customer's standpoint, an ideal package would be easy to open after purchase but from the merchant's standpoint difficult to open in a store without being detected. Minimizing packaging costs, while not interfering with the display of the merchandise, is also important from the retailer's standpoint. In addition, it would be an advance if the packaging motivated a shopper to put the merchandise back in a display with the title of the album and name of the artist right side up and facing the next customer. It would be a further benefit, if similar packaging was available for compact discs and for cassette tapes such that discs and cassettes could be sold from a display case with a plurality of similar-sized pigeon holes. More compact discs (and cassettes) would be sold if there was packaging which met the above mentioned goals.